REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA Final...TDD Technical Advisory / Technical Assistance Training and development Department TEC TEPD Tertiary Education Council Teacher Education & professional

BOTSWANA EDUCATION & TRAINING SECTOR STRATEGIC PLAN (ETSSP 2015-2020)

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REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA

EDUCATION & TRAINING SECTOR STRATEGIC PLAN (ETSSP 2015-2020)

May 2015


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DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 7

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND ................................................................................................... 11

CHAPTER 2 : OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY CONTEXT ............................................................... 14

CHAPTER 3: CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR.................................................23

CHAPTER 4: POLICY FRAMEWORK AND PRIORITY PROGRAMMES.........................................38

CHAPTER 5: STRATEGIC PROGRAMME FRAMEWORK………………………………………………….……. 50

CHAPTER 6: SECTOR MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS………………141

CHAPTER 7: MONITORING, REPORTING AND EVALUATION…………………………………………….. 150

CHAPTER 8: FINANCE.............................................................................................................156

APPENDIX A RESULTS MATRIX………………………………………………………………………………………… 173

LIST OF TABLES 1. Table 1 Baseline data for Education Sector Performance………………………………..……………36

2. Table 2 Linking strategic programme areas with the Education Pillars………….……………..45

3. Table 3 Sub Sector Programme Alignment to National Priorities……………………………….…46

4. Table 4 Monitoring and Reporting levels…………………………………………………………………….153

5. Table 5 International comparison of dependency ratio……………………………………………….161

6. Table 6 School age population derived from CSO single Population Projections(2012/2018)…………………………………………………………………………………………..….161

7. Table 7 Enrolment levels and unit cost at different levels of education 2012/13……….163

8. Table 8 The adjusted unit cost used to cost ETSSP ……………………………………….……………164

9. Table 9 Breakdown of ETSSP cost by sub sector and type 2015/16 to 2020/21………….164

10. Table 10 2015/16 Education budget including ETSSP and Sub Sector Shares …….....….165

11. Table 11 Education budget by sub sector and year 2015/16 to 2020/21………….…..……166


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LIST OF FIGURES

1. Figure 1 Continum of the Education System ………………………………………………..………………20

2. Figure 2 Structure of Education…………………………………………………………………………………….21

3. Figure 3 MoESD Structure (Proposed Sector Structure)…………………………………… ..146-148

4. Figure 4 Botswana population pyramid 2014………………..…………………………………………. 160

5. Figure 5 Pictorial illustration of the Triple Helix Model………………………………….…………. 167

APPENDIX Appendix A: Results Matrix


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Abbreviations

BA BEC BIUST BOCODOL BGCSE

Bachelor of Arts Botswana Examination Council Botswana International University of Science & Technology Botswana College of open Distance learning Botswana General Certificate of secondary Education

BOTA CFS

Botswana Training Authority Child Friendly Schools

DEPRES DPE

Department of Education Planning, Research and Statistics Diploma in Primary Education

DPS Deputy Permanent Secretary

DPSM Directorate of Public Service Management

DTSM ECCE ECPPE

Department of Teacher Service Management Early Child hood Care and Education Policy Early Child hood and Pre primary Education

EU European Union

EFA Education For All

EMIS Education Management Information System

ETSSP Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan

FMIS Finance Management and Information system

GER Gross Enrolment rate

GoB GPI

Government of Botswana Gender Parity Index

HE Higher Education

HRD Human Resource Development

HRDAC ICT IDM JASR JCE JSS KPIs LLL MDGs

Human Resource Development Advisory Council Information & Communications Technology Institute for Development Management Joint Annual Sector Review Junior Certificate Examination Junior secondary school Key performance indicators Life long learning Millennium Development Goals

M&E MDRF

Monitoring and Evaluation Macro Development Result Framework

MFDP Ministry of Finance and Development Planning

MoESD Ministry of Education and Skills Development

MoESD Ministry of Education and Skills Development

MoFDP Ministry of Finance and Development Planning

MoH Ministry of Health

MoLG Ministry of Local Government

MoLHA MIS

Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs Management Information System

MIST Ministry of Science and Technology

MoPAPA Ministry of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration

MPIC Ministry Performance Improvement Committee

MTI Ministry of Trade and Industry

MTR Medium Term Review

MYSC Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture


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NACA National AIDS coordinating Agency

NDP NCF NER NHRDS

National Development Plan National Strategic Frameworks Net Extollment Rate National Human Resource Development Strategy

NQA National Qualifications Authority

OPM OSET

Office of the Prime Minister Out-of-School Education and Training

PAF PE PIU PFMR

Performance Assessment Framework Primary Education Performance Improvement Unit Public Finance Management Reforms

PGDE PS PSLE PSR PTA

Post Graduate Diploma in Education Permanent Secretary Primary school Leaving Examination Public sector reform Parents Teacher Association

RFT RNPE

Reform Facilitation Team Revised National policy on Education

RWG Reform Working Group

SE SEA SEMIS

Secondary Education Senior Education Adviser Sector Education Management information Management system

S-HLCC SLRA SSS

Sub-High Level Consultative Committee System level reform agenda Senior Secondary school

SST STEM

Sub-Sector Teams Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics

TA TDD

Technical Advisory / Technical Assistance Training and development Department

TEC TEPD

Tertiary Education Council Teacher Education & professional Development

TORs TRT

Terms of Reference Thematic Reform teams

TVET Technical & Vocational and Education Training

TWG UCCSA UNESCO

Thematic Working Group United Congregational church of southern Africa United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation


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FOREWORD

BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

The Botswana Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP 2015-2020) marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts as a nation to bring about a more diversified, knowledge-based economy. Through a planned and careful development of human capital, the ETSSP seeks to refocus our education and training towards fulfilment of social and economic aspirations identified in our Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE), the National Development Plan, Vision 2016 and as well as the Millennium Development Goals.

In particular, the ETSSP is intended to strengthen the match between qualifications and labour market requirements, thereby ensuring that education outputs are more closely aligned to future employment needs. It will also facilitate improved outcomes for all learners by addressing issues of quality, relevance, access, equity and accountability across the entire sector, from Pre-Primary school to Tertiary level.

Over the years, Botswana has made significant strides for increasing participation in Education and Training; however, pre-primary education and access to education for learners with disabilities still remain a challenge. At present, only 18% of eligible children (mainly in urban areas) are enrolled in pre-school programmers, resulting in a lack of school readiness for many new entrants to Standard 1. The ETSSP seeks to promote quality education for all by advocating in part, for the introduction of public pre- primary school to cater for this previously un-served young people.

One of the key challenges facing the nation is the growing number of unemployed and under-employed youth. It is clear that existing labour markets cannot provide jobs for all who need work and this is compounded by the fact that many of those applying for employment are inappropriately qualified for the jobs on offer. It is therefore, important to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in our youths and prioritize training to create a deliberate bias to develop appropriate skills required by the market.

To this end, ETSSP therefore endeavours to create a balance between academic pursuits and technical and vocational education thus challenging perceptions that the TVET pathway is ‘second best’ and therefore less prestigious. The success of ETSSP requires valuable services of all stakeholders, teachers, the private sector and parents. I therefore appeal to your sense of patriotism so that we can pool our resources to build and secure the future of our greatest assets- our young people.

Lastly, I wish to express my sense of gratitude to all ministry officials, local and external experts, our development partners especially the European Union, for the sterling job they have done to ensure the development and publication of this valuable document.

Minister of Education and Skills Development


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The government through the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has set out its priority to have improved sector wide planning leading to improved education sector performance over the next five years. The development of this five-year Education and Training Strategic Sector Plan (ETSSP: 2015-2020) will have far-reaching effects on the future education in Botswana. It gives clear guidance to decision makers and planners at all levels and aims to improve education sector performance over the next five years. The development of the five-year Sector Strategic Plan will have far-reaching effects on the future of education in Botswana. The plan sets out many of the challenges facing the education sector and the varied strategies, programmes and activities to meet the challenges. Botswana has articulated long-term national goals and values in Vision 2016 and in the series of National Development Plans and the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE). These policies and plans set out the goals and strategies that Botswana will pursue to promote human, social, economic, and environmental development and illuminates pathways and choices that will define Botswana society over the next decades. The overarching aim is bold and ambitious: to transform Botswana into an advanced country able to sustain its development and provide high standards of living for all of its people. There is a strong alignment between priorities as set out in Botswana’s Vision 2016, National Development Plans, the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) and the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP) and MoESD and organizations or agencies. The ETSSP is an extensive reform that sets out to transform education and at a strategic level addresses a number of key policy goals: to improve access, quality, inclusion and equity, accountability and governance in the education system. It identifies areas of strategic priority in order to focus resources in an efficient and effective manner on those areas in the education sector that will contribute most in enhancing the quality of learning at the different levels. Taking into account these factors and the challenges that education sector faces the goal of ETSSP is:

‘To provide an overall policy and strategic sector framework for the education sector that will play a pivotal role in the development of a modern, sustainable, knowledge-based economy that supports inclusiveness and diversity’.

The strategy is developed in conjunction with other major government reforms. The MoESD is working closely with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the development of the MTEF and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs (MoLHA). It is aligned with the government’s public sector reform programmes (PSR) and the major goal to develop a lean public service through its human resource management and public service reforms. Thus, reforms will be put in place for a Ministry of Education and Skills Development that are much more orientated towards focusing on policy, strategic planning and resource allocation, decentralisation, coordination, standards setting, and monitoring and evaluation. The ETSSP identifies eleven (11) key strategic priorities linked to the policy goals and is supported by eleven (11) programmes (goals, outcomes or targets and activities) that together provide a comprehensive, integrated strategy for the sector, emphasizing the alignment within all education interventions and skills and labour force and employment needs.


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More specifically, ETSSP sets out priority programmes and interventions that will strengthen students’ acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills. The ETSSP will make a key contribution to the achievement of overall education sector goals at different levels as follows:

At the individual level: by helping learners maximise their potential through a commitment to excellent teaching that demonstrates up-to-date pedagogy and by providing all learners with the required skills and knowledge needed to succeed in Botswana society;

At the employer level: by a commitment to meet the skills needed by employers through knowledge transfer and skills development relevant to an increasingly competitive labour market and by encouraging greater links with community and employer partnerships;

At the wider societal level: by contributing to the national development goals of an equitable and inclusive society through a commitment to developing lifelong learning.

Thus, ETSSP pays great attention to inclusive and life-long learning goals and in doing so is aligned to international contexts and reflects long-standing commitments to Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Cross cutting issues for example, gender, ICT, HIV and AIDS are, wherever appropriate, mainstreamed across each sub-sector. Indicative cost implications of ETSSP have been estimated on current prices at close to P18.7 billion to be managed over the 5 year planning period. An indicative costing summary and sub-sector programme level by short, medium and long-term time frame are included in Chapter 8. The resulting document is a draft and should be seen as ‘work in progress’. There are issues still outstanding, especially the alignment of pathways for student advancement in conjunction with the vocational and skills and finalising indicative costs of the plan. As a caution, making some of the strategic choices has been difficult without available quality data. Even though EMIS have recently been developing valid and reliable data from schools there are still gaps that will need to be rectified.

Critical Sector Strategic Priorities

This strategy represents a broad consensus derived from principles agreed with key stakeholders prominent in the sector. The goals, policy objectives and activities are those derived through broad participation in discussions, workshops and through a process of interactive reviews of programmes and priorities. At the central level the MoESD led the development of the strategy with analytical work and advisory support from international and local consultants.1 Key situation analysis and consultations were managed by consultants and MoESD led working groups to provide comprehensive and updated situational analysis of the main issues of sub-sectors and current progress. Importantly, the studies identified key challenges and cross-cutting issues relevant to each sub-sector.

1 EU provided and continues to fund the development of ETSSP as well as supporting the development of

BEC, HRDC and BQA under the 9th

and 10th

European Development Fund (EDF).


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Programmes Addressing Strategic Priorities

Each of the Strategic Priorities is addressed more specifically by a set of programmes.

Six Sub-sector programmes:

1. Early Childhood & Pre-Primary Education (ECE & PPE); 2. Primary Education (PE); 3. Secondary Education (SE); 4. Teacher Education and Professional Development (TEPD); 5. Tertiary Education (TE); 6. Technical Vocational and Education and Training (TVET):

Five Thematic programmes:

The thematic programmes focus on system level reforms deemed necessary to support the sub-sector programmes and implementation of the ETSSP set of policies and strategies.

7. Lifelong Learning (LLL): 8. Information and Communications Technology (ICT): 9. Curriculum Development: 10. Human Resource Development (HRD): 11. Education Management and Information System reform (EMIS):

Finance and Budget Reforms (F) (this is dealt with in a separate Chapter in ETSSP (Chapter 8).

Education Sector Management and Implementation

Implementing the ETSSP will require transformation of the current management system for education. Central to any change is transforming the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). Whilst the MoESD continues to manage programmes and managing its resources it has been under pressure to improve performance in nearly all areas. Current management and implementation of the education sector will be radically improved. The scope of the implementation will include:

organisational restructuring and leadership development; comprehensive human capacity building and development; redefined administrative systems and business processes;

Critical Sector Strategic Priorities in Education

1 Improving the Quality & Relevance

2 Improving Equitable Access

3 Improving Learning Outcomes

4 Focus on Life-long Learning

5 Strengthening Skills Development

6 Developing New & Alternative Pathways for Education

7 Improve Management of Education

8 Developing a Responsive Tertiary Education System

9 Improving Planning & Budgeting of the Sector

10 Utilisation and Integration of ICT

11 Improving Monitoring and Evaluation of the Sector


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planning and policy formulation; strengthened project management mechanisms; austere financial controls and extensive upgrading; and greater utilisation of ICT and data management systems.

Improving the ability to formulate policy as well as managing and analysing data to support the education sector management and decision making is imperative. This will require strengthening of planning, monitoring and evaluation capability in MoESD. Together with policy development, the MoESD will support the development of strategy and provide high-level coordination, oversight and accountability of the ETSSP. The key operational roles of the coordination of sub-sector planning; funding and quality assurance and regulation are delegated to the parastatals; leaving the MoESD structure lean and flat with high level expertise to focus on policy formulation, sector planning, monitoring and evaluation and supporting decentralised operations.

Monitoring and Evaluation of the Education Sector Strengthening of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) structures will improve accountability in the sector. The M&E will assess progress made in the sector, reporting, timely publication and communication of results and initiatives, analysis and use in policy and decision-making. Reporting will be a coordinated activity and seen as essential for monitoring progress of the sector against set Key Performance Indicators. The following are key elements of the M&E are as follows:

National and Regional Education Forums will be set up to improve education dialogue; it will report on progress towards achieving results and a basis for changing/adjusting programme strategy;

A Mid-term Review (MTR) will be organised to review inputs and processes in order to make decisions on adjusting the implementation plans based upon the findings;

The Annual Sector Review (ASR) will be conducted to evaluate annual progress of the entire education sector against the Key Performance Indicators, both at a national and regional level.

In addition, measures will be put in place for reporting on whether funds are released in the required amounts and on time and whether they are being utilized for the purpose identified. The Annual Report will serve as a base document for the Annual Sector Review (ASR).


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CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND

1.1 Introduction

The ETSSP sets out many of the challenges facing the education sector and the varied strategies, programmes and activities to meet the challenges. The strategic plan identifies areas of priority in order to focus resources in an efficient and effective manner on those areas in the education sector that will contribute most in enhancing the quality of learning at the different levels in the education system. It also presents the indicative costs of the planned activities and indication of sub-sector priority actions. To manage this, Annual Implementation Plans will be developed by MoESD and the regional offices.

The sub-sector strategies have been derived from a series of situational analysis done for each of the sub-sectors and thematic working groups supported by international and local consultants. Each of the development teams were supported and advised by a consultative body of key stakeholders relevant to their area of review. In addition, the development of the sub-sectors was subject to review and feedback from the NDP-10/11 thematic working groups, including representatives from: the public sector, the unions, the private sector, civil society and the development partners.

Importantly, ETSSP is developed in conjunction with other major government reforms. The MoESD is working closely with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the development of the MTEF and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs (MoLHA). It is aligned with the government’s public sector reform programme (PSR) and a major goal to develop a lean public service through its human resource management and public service reforms. Thus, reforms will be put in place for a Ministry of Education and Skills Development that are much more orientated towards focusing on policy, strategic planning and resource allocation, decentralisation, coordination, standards setting, and monitoring and evaluation.

1.2 Purpose of ETSSP

This Plan (ETSSP) is outcomes oriented and sets out Botswana’s educational mission, goals and objectives. It presents the strategies for achieving them together with an indication of the enabling supportive structures and indicative costs. The sector plan is the key development plan for promoting equitable, effective, efficient and quality education and rationalized sector investment for the next five years. It presents the relationship between the vision, mission and the strategies for achieving the goals and objectives of the sector plan that are closely related to National Development Plans and also Vision 2016 together with an indication of the means to manage the plan. Importantly, the sector plan is outcomes oriented in terms of the strategic planning level and also at the programme and implementation level.

The ETSSP will address all of inter-linked programmes and also has a focus on improved education governance through a much strengthened and committed education administration, more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of implementation at MoESD and regions and through capacity building for enhanced education service delivery.


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To be able to monitor progress much more closely than in the past, MoESD will put in place steps for regular reviews of sector performance including the impact of major investment decisions.

1.3 The Development of ETSSP

This strategy represents a broad consensus derived from principles agreed with key stakeholders in the sector. The goals, policy objectives and activities are those derived through broad participation in discussions, workshops and through a process of interactive reviews of programmes and priorities. At the central level the MoESD led the development of the strategy with analytical work and advisory support from international and local consultants. 2 Key situation analysis and consultations were managed by consultants and MoESD led working groups to provide comprehensive and updated situational analysis of the main issues of sub-sectors and current progress. Importantly, the studies identified key challenges and cross-cutting issues relevant to each sub-sector. The Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan is structured according to the key studies undertaken as follows:

Early Childhood and Pre-Primary education3

Primary Education

Secondary Education

TVET and Skills Development;

Tertiary Education;

Teacher Development;

A second set of policies, strategies and programmes were identified that concentrated on needed system level reforms (thematic sub-sectors) necessary in order to provide support to the sub-sector programmes and to implement the ETSSP set of policies, strategies. This formed the basis of the ETSSP System Level Reform Agenda (SLRA). The five Thematic Reform Teams (TRT) were as follows:

Financial and Budget Management Reforms;

Human Resource Management and Staffing Reforms;

Life-long learning4.

Information, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Reforms (EMIS); and

Education Content (Curriculum and delivery) Reforms.

Key sub-sector and thematic working groups were set up to guide and support the activities of the Reform Working Groups which were made up of representatives from across the sector. In addition, the overall development of the ETSSP was guided by regular consultations and feedback from the sub-high level consultative committee (S-HLCC). The core features and programming of the strategy were tested in a number of consultative workshops with MoESD, development partners and key stakeholders. A number of small working groups (6/8/10 members in each group) were set-up based upon the identified sub-sectors to manage the situation analysis and develop the sub-sector programmes. Members of the working groups included MoESD members and invitees of organizations from those working in the education sector such as teachers, teacher union and other key stakeholders who all participated in the workshops. 2EU provided and continues to fund the development of ETSSP as well as supporting the development of BEC, HRDC and BQA under the 9

th and 10

th European Development Fund (EDF).

3The importance and educational significance of the need for enhanced early childhood education meant that this was included in a separate sub-sector group in addition to pre-primary sub-sector.

4 A Life-long learning component was also added to the original identified thematic sub-sectors.


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Each working group was supported by facilitators and consultants and full documentation to enable the groups to develop sub-sector plans. The focus of the working groups was to review the situation analysis and studies and develop sub-sector challenges and needs to inform proposals about prioritized future developments and their cost implications. The result of these workshops was an agreement on the broad outlines, challenges as well as on the objectives, milestones and outcomes and strategies of each sub-sector. The sub-groups also provided a preliminary costing of both development efforts and their recurrent implications, and a prioritization related to different resource levels/scenarios.

1.4 Organisation of the Strategy The ETSSP is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 1 is an introductory chapter providing the context and background to developing the plan and an overview of the purpose. Chapter 2 in turn, presents the vision, goals and strategic objectives and structure of Botswana education within the overall national goals, economic and social context. Chapter 3 describes the education achievements and key challenges from which the strategic plan derives its critical priorities. Baseline data have been established (2012) and will be used to set targets for the programme milestones. Chapter 4 provides the Priority Outcomes of the education sector (from early childhood to higher education) and addresses the cross cutting issues of quality assurance and standards, curriculum, and assessment and inclusion and provides a summary of indicative costs. Chapter 5 sets out the Strategic Sector Framework that forms the core of the strategic plan. Here the sub-sector and cross-cutting programmes are developed. Within each sub-sector the critical challenges, main policy implications, strategic milestones or targets and planned activities over the 2014-2019 strategic plan period are set out. Sub-sections cover: Chapter 6 addresses educational management – the mechanisms and procedures through which ETSSP will be managed and the type of support needed for a decentralized system. The chapter reaffirms the need for improved management, accountability at all levels and a revised organizational structure that will coordinate improvements in the sector. This requires developing targeted capacity building programmes at all levels. Chapter 7 describes how the sector will be Monitored and Evaluated. The chapter sets out the need to have an efficient and effective sector SEMIS to make comprehensive and timely reports for the sector. This will require a strong Department of Planning where SEMIS will take on a crucial role in supporting the monitoring of the education sector. A number of monitoring reviews will be undertaken each year and regular meetings are proposed to keep all stakeholders informed of the progress made and any problems encountered during implementation. The final Chapter 8 addresses the indicative cost and finance implications for the strategic plan.


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CHAPTER 2 - OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY CONTEXT

2.1 Economic and Social Situation

Botswana has over the past 40 years been amongst the list of countries with the fastest growing economies in the world, characterised by an impressive record of prudent macroeconomic policies and good governance. This track record of achievement has moved Botswana from the list of least developed and poorest countries in the world, to an upper-middle income country. The country’s current economic and social performance continues to be shaped by this remarkable record of appropriate macroeconomic policies and good governance. The economy grew faster than expected and reached a real rate of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of about 5.9 percent in 2013. However, projections expect GDP growth to decline and is expected to decrease to 4.8% by 2017.5

The country continues to face development challenges such as high unemployment, poverty, income inequality and a relatively undiversified economy.6The country’s heavy reliance on diamond exports coupled with drops in revenue from the non-mineral sector, are expected to adversely impact on the levels of real GDP. The expected levelling off in diamond production within the next 20 years may overshadow the long-term economic prospects. The mining sector, in addition, provides the country with the largest share of its export earnings (76 percent of total merchandise exports) and fiscal revenues (33.7percent of total central revenues).7 Recognising this economic outlook, Botswana continues to carry through the requisite reforms which include introducing measures to strengthen the economy and even more importantly, diversifying it away from its dependence on diamonds.

The government continues to place great emphasis on the development of human resources for job readiness and preparing Botswana for a knowledge-based and globally competitive economy. In line with the Vision 2016 and the objective of ‘prosperity for all, employment creation, the eradication of poverty and becoming an innovative nation Botswana aims at raising productivity through education and training as well as through acquiring entrepreneurial, managerial and technological capabilities.8 The overall goal is to achieve sustainable economic growth and ensure improvement in global competitiveness. The NDP 10 Mid-term Review identified six strategic factors to drive economic growth:

Economic diversification;

Ease of doing business;

Infrastructure development;

Advances in communication and technology;

Competitive and productive human resources;

Enhancing employment;

Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

The thrust of these strategies is to enhance employment creation by increasing the contribution of the private sector to the economy. In this regard, the country continues to carry through

5 IMF (2014) Botswana Article IV Surveillance Report (July 2014) and ‘Stats Brief - June 2014’ Statistics Botswana. 6 Ministry of Finance and Development Planning ‘Draft Keynote Policy Paper for NDP11’ July 2014. 7 The World Bank (2013). Botswana Social Protection Assessment. December 2013.

8 The thrust of Vision 2016 is ‘prosperity for all’ through a strategy of employment creation and this theme

is carried through to the NDP10.


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reforms and introduce measures to strengthen the economy and diversify it away from its dependence on diamonds and to absorb foreseeable global economic shocks9.

Without accelerated economic growth, however, it will remain difficult for Botswana to create jobs, especially those that contribute to increased productivity, poverty reduction and the attainment of equitable social development. The government’s policy and planning frameworks clearly consider economic diversification as a crucial step towards promoting employment and economic development. It is important to recognise, however, that diamond mining, although the main contributor to national wealth, accounts for only 3% of total employment in the formal sector. Manufacturing, on the other hand, accounts for approximately 4.2% of the GDP but employs about 10% of the labour force in the formal sector. Strategies for arresting the recent decline in the economic growth will be the primary focus of the National Development Plan 11.10

Several analysis points out that a major impediment to achieving national development goals is the shortage of skilled labour at all levels and across sectors. The employment needs are becoming more skills intensive in both the private and public sectors. Formal labour market opportunities are very limited, and a large share of adults work in low productivity-low wage jobs (e.g. in agriculture) or are unemployed. Overall unemployment rates remained at about 18 percent from 2009 to 2010.11 Many of the unemployed are relatively young with low levels of education, work experience and have limited skills. The youth rate of unemployment in 2010 was about 40 percent for the 15-19 age cohort and 34 percent for the 20-24 age cohort compared with a national average of 17.8 percent.12 A miss match between job opportunities and skills of graduates contribute significantly to these high rates of youth unemployment. Employers increasingly note the lack of skills of new employees to increase productivity and modernise.

Poverty eradication is addressed in the National Strategic Vision (2016) with the medium-term goal of reducing the incidence of absolute poverty by 2016. One of the pillars of the Vision calls for ‘a more equitable income distribution and the eradication of absolute poverty in Botswana’. According to Statistics Botswana (SB), the proportion of the population living below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) declined from 30.6 percent in 2002/03 to 19.3 percent in 2009/10.13 The government has responded to the economic and social challenges experienced by the country through committing approximately 9 percent of its GDP to targeted programmes that reduce vulnerability and enhance social protection amongst relevant groups. These consist of social insurance, poverty non-contributory payments, school feeding programmes, support to vulnerable groups and in addition, support in the form of sponsorships and scholarships for tertiary education students. But social inequality remains high despite the relatively high average income per capita. High inequality explains why in 2009/2010, 19.3 percent of the population is defined as poor. A large number of children suffer from malnutrition and 31.4 percent of children under the age of five exhibit stunted growth.14

The country’s outstanding achievements and gains in socio-economic development have over the last close to three decades, however, suffered major setbacks due to the impacts of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The enormous direct costs of the continuum of prevention, treatment, care and support are accompanied by indirect loss to the economy especially in terms of professional and skilled human resources as well as the devastating human and social impacts of the disease.

9 Mid-term Review of NDP 10. Ministry of Finance and Development Planning June 2013. 10 Keynote Policy Paper for the National Development Plan 11: Ministry of Finance and Development Planning July 2014. 11

Unemployment rate was 17.8 per cent in 2010, Botswana Core Welfare Indicators Survey 2009/10. 12

Statistics Botswana (2011). 13

Statistics Botswana (2011). 14 The World Bank (2013), Botswana Social Protection Assessment. December.


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There were an estimated 300,000 adults living with HIV in 2011 out of an estimated population of 2.1 million or one quarter of the population aged 15 years and above.

Botswana has an estimated adult HIV prevalence rate among 15-49 year olds of 23 percent, and although a drop from the 2000 figure of 30 percent it remains the second highest after Swaziland. The President of Botswana in 1999 led the national response to the epidemic with the setting up of the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA, 1999) and the implementation of National Strategic Frameworks (NSF) for HIV and AIDS. This development is seeing positive results with current extended life expectancies rising to 53 years from the figure of 49 years in 2000; annual HIV infections declining 71 percent between 2001 and 2011 whilst 95 percent gain access to free anti-retro viral treatment.15 As a result of the pandemic, the country is expected to lose a lot of its skilled and experienced labour over the next two decades, which will significantly reduce productivity and the rate of economic growth.

2.2 National Development Goals & Policies and their Relation to the Strategy

Botswana is undergoing an ambitious national development transformation process, shaped by Vision 2016. The set target is that by 2016 the country should have joined the ranks of high income, knowledge-based economies. Thus, productive and competitive human resources and institutions are critical for Botswana in order to accelerate economic growth and compete effectively in global markets. These are likely to facilitate achievement of the broad strategic framework of transforming Botswana with a skilled and competitive workforce as a prerequisite to transform the country into a knowledge-based economy. Through education a skilled work force is to be developed to support and manage the various sectors in the economy, thereby contributing to wealth creation and distribution as the basis for modernisation and development.

National Development Planning and its integration with the annual budgetary process have been the foundation of Botswana’s development strategy. Botswana relies on a six-year planning cycle, with mid-term reviews and annual budgets to update the plans in response to changes in its economic and political context. Through successive development plans the major priority focus has been on developing Botswana’s human resource capacity through a broad range of perspectives ranging from expanding the labour market to developing education and skills training.

Considerable progress has been made since 1997 when a Presidential Task Group mapped out a long-term vision for Botswana. The year 2016 was used as a point of reference and is an important landmark for Botswana in that the country will have been independent for 50 years. The Presidential Task Group produced "Vision 2016: Towards Prosperity for All" (also known as Vision 2016) in which the education of its citizens features very prominently. According to the Vision, Botswana anticipates a future where citizens would have gone beyond basic education to be an educated and informed nation in the year 2016. The vision consists of several goals: an educated, informed nation; a prosperous, productive, and innovative nation; a compassionate and caring nation; a safe and secure nation; an open, democratic, and accountable nation; a moral and tolerant nation; and a united and proud nation. Reviews and assessments of the long-term Vision, however, recognise that a lot still has to be done towards the achievement of

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UNGASS(2012),Botswana 2012 Global AIDS Response Report: Progress report of the national 2011 declaration of commitments on HIV and AIDS 2010-2011; Republic of Botswana and NACA Botswana Country Progress Report (April 2010).


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these long-term goals. Furthermore, there is a need for additional policy guidelines, capacity building, and strengthening of institutional capacity for this vision to be effectively realized.

The National Development Plans (NDPs) have been essential tools for public spending and human resource development. Successive plans have been geared towards improving economic growth and diversification with a strong focus on the need to develop human resources for an internationally competitive society. In line with Vision 2016 the objectives of prosperity for all, an educated and skilled workforce and employment creation and eradication of abject poverty were priority for NDP9 (2003/4-2008/9) and NDP10 (2009/10 – 2015/16). Currently NDP11 is being drafted.

The National Policy on Education (1977) and the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE 1994) are consistent with the Vision 2016 and National Development Plans and have provided the policy framework for the education system in Botswana. Both were outcomes of extensive deliberations of Presidential National Commissions in 1977 that identified four national principles that make the philosophy of Kagisano (harmony) on which the education system should base its goals, aims and objectives. The four principles were: democracy, development, self-reliance and unity.

The other important education policy being the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE 1994) which puts great emphasis on the education and training of all children, youth and adults. The policy also calls for the provision of a relevant, equitable and quality education. The objectives of the RNPE are to:

Effectively prepare students for life, citizenship and the world of work;

Develop training that is responsive and relevant to the needs of the economy;

Improve and maintain quality in education;

Enhance the performance and status of the teaching profession;

Effectively manage the education system;

Improve cost-effectiveness and cost sharing in the financing of education.

More than twenty years after the formulation of the RNPE, the policy directions remain valid and relevant to the needs of the education and training sector16. Additionally, the government has reinforced the need to strengthen the relationship between education and employment as a national imperative. These policy documents when combined with the Children’s Act, 2009 provide the broad legal framework for a system of education encompassing the protection and care of children.

Complementary national reforms such as Public Finance Management Reforms (PFMR); the establishment of the MTEF, the decentralisation agenda and the national Human Resource Development (HRD) policy also provide critical guidance on the key national outcomes to be achieved, and approaches to be developed. The foundation has been laid, but there is need to build on it to move towards a more competitive and productive human resource as envisaged in the National Human Resource Development Strategy (2009-2022).

The government has continued to develop and put in place relevant policies and the legal frameworks to guide the education sector. One of the steps was to eliminate fragmentation in managing human resources and has transformed former institutions into more relevant ones. The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) has been established as the main institute to develop national human resource needs. In addition, the Botswana Qualifications Authority

16 Government of Botswana (2007) Education Public Expenditure Review, June 2007.


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(BQA) is responsible for the development and implementation of national credit and qualification frameworks.17 Other initiatives have seen the Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) established as the national assessment authority for basic education and TVET whilst the Botswana Teaching Council (BOTECO) will be set-up in 2015 to play the key role of setting standards and enhancing professionalism amongst teachers. The redefinition of roles called for the dissolving of Technical Education Council (TEC) to become HRDC through the repealing of the Tertiary Education Act (1999); Botswana Training Authority (BOTA) to become BQA through the repealing of the Vocational Training Act (1998) and the broadening of BEC’s mandate. The transformation of Botswana Open and Distance Learning (BOCODOL) into the Open and Distance Learning University will provide improved access to adult and tertiary education.18 The importance of early childhood care professional development and pedagogical renewal has been recognized and adequately stressed in policy documents. In 2001, the Early Childhood Care and Education Policy (ECCE) was developed and designed initially to operate as a three-tier system, comprising of baby-care; day-care/nursery and pre-primary. However, the new phase of the policy development envisages only two age groups: (i) 0 – 3 years and (ii) 3- 6 years. The overarching objectives of this policy are: to develop professionals in the field of ECCE, in order to provide care and education services to children, support the existing services that encompass quality programmes for children and to develop a national curriculum. The Pre-school Development Committee, in collaboration with associations and agencies that are involved with the ECCE, are developing ’Guidelines for Early Stimulation for use in baby-care centres.

The Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Policy (2004) states that successful integration and sustainability of ICT in the education system requires a supportive policy environment and framework at the national level. The policy furthermore lays emphasis on the importance of putting in place a coordinated plan that includes the introduction of national education-related policies to address infrastructure and connectivity, professional development of teachers, curriculum integration and the development and use of relevant content and software.

The MoESD developed an Inclusive Education Policy (launched in February 2013) and provides significant direction that will achieve an inclusive education system which provides children, young people and adults with access to relevant, high quality education which enables them to learn effectively, whatever their gender, age, life circumstances, health, disability, stage of development, capacity to learn or socio-economic circumstances.

2.3 Vision, Mission and Strategic Goals of the Education Sector

Botswana is in its 10th National Development Plan (2009/10-2015/16).19 There are ten key result areas and 16 national goals that are derived from Vision 2016 pillars and national level priorities. The vision for the education sector is:

17 Parliament approved the bills for BQA and HRDC in October 2013. 18 The Bills will be tabled in Parliament sessions during 2014. 19 The government is developing a successor plan - NDP11 covering the period 2016/17 to 2021/22. At this stage a keynote paper has been prepared as the first input to developing NDP11. See Ministry of Finance and Development Planning ‘Draft Keynote Policy paper for NDP11’ July 2014.


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‘To produce qualified, productive and competitive human resources, for a skill and knowledge based society, for effective participation in both the local and global economic market’.

Against this background, Botswana now gives the highest priority to improving the quality of education in line with its vision for becoming an educated and informed nation, as well as a moral and tolerant nation, with a modern knowledge-based economy.

The goals of the education sector are guided by the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) of 1994 and seek to build on the strengths of the national goals whilst acknowledging the challenges that exist in achieving the vision. The education sector seeks:

‘To provide efficient, quality and relevant education and training that is accessible to all in order to facilitate economic growth and global competitiveness.’

The goals of the Policy are improving (i) quality and relevance; (ii) access and equity and (iii) efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of education and training.

2.4 Goal and Objectives of ETSSP

This Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP), provides a strategic framework for the education sector. It addresses the key issues at the time of preparation, where the education system will respond to the real needs of helping to build capacities in key education sub-sectors. As such, the Strategy reaffirms the government’s goal for an inclusive sector reform and adopts supportive measures for employment and participation in economic activities as outlined in the national policies. Taking into account these factors and the challenges that education sector faces the goal of ETSSP is:

‘To provide an overall policy and strategic sector framework for the education sector that will play a pivotal role in the development of a modern, sustainable, knowledge-based economy that supports inclusiveness and diversity’.

The objectives of ETSSP are to:

Support the prioritisation, harmonisation and sequencing of the development and implementation of policies, strategies and programmes across the sector;

Provide a rational and transparent basis for the prioritisation of human and financial resource allocation across the sector;

Provide the basis for more effective sector performance monitoring, assessment and evaluation;

Provide the basis for identifying, prioritising and implementing critical areas of organisational change and restructuring required within the sector in order to support improved service delivery.

Thus, ETSSP pays great attention to inclusive and life-long learning policies and in doing so is aligned to international contexts and reflects long-standing commitments to Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Cross-cutting issues for example, gender, ICT, HIV and AIDS are, wherever appropriate, mainstreamed across each sub-sector. The sector plan has a strong leaning towards ensuring a continuum from Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to Higher Education (HE), non-formal and continuing education.


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Figure 1: Continuum of the Education System

0 16 18/19

Ages

The Figure above reflects a commitment to inclusive, life-long learning, whilst paying due attention to issues of access, quality, equity, relevance, efficiency and delivery. In doing so, the ETSSP also gives the required serious consideration to the management, decentralization and improved monitoring and evaluation of the sector.

2.5 The Current Structure of the Education Sector

Botswana has made significant progress in creating broad opportunities in education. The current education sector is characterized by extensive reform efforts in all sub-sectors, addressing key challenges of the RNPE and in part the NDP10 to provide efficient, quality and relevant education and training that is accessible to all in order to facilitate economic growth and global competitiveness. Basic education consists of a total of 12 years: 7 years of primary school, 3 years of junior secondary school and 2 years of senior secondary school (in addition to tertiary education). While the official school starting age is 6 years of age, it is only by the age of 7 that almost all children are in school. Parents are charged a ‘co-payment’ for education, but the children of those in lower income groups receive free education. Free school meals are provided to all school pupils. Pre-primary education is mostly limited to private schools with a limited enrolment. Progression is automatic from primary to junior secondary though now up to 12.5% of the members of each class can repeat the year. The first ten years of education (‘basic education’) are available to all children. Students sit for three nationwide examinations: the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) at the end of primary schooling; and those who pass the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) at the end of junior secondary school can progress to the senior secondary school level and sit for the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE). Tertiary Education in Botswana is provided by both public and private institutions; (Universities and colleges). Tertiary education provides secondary school graduates with the opportunity to be enrolled and trained in a number of programmes so as to attain a global competitive human

Providing an excellent start in education so that they have better foundations for future learning

Enabling young people to develop and equip themselves with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities needed for life and work

Encouraging and enabling adults to learn, improve their skills and enrich their lives


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capital. It is mostly government sponsored through the department of Tertiary Education Financing. Courses leading to certificates, diplomas and degrees are offered by the University of Botswana and its affiliated institutions, which include; the colleges of education, the nursing institutions and the College of Agriculture. The Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) has just been established in Palapye by a public-private partnership. It is a specialized institution established as a research-oriented University that focuses on Science, Engineering and Technology. Botswana Accountancy College offers courses and programmes leading to professional qualifications in finance, accountancy and information technology.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Botswana is delivered at different levels from certificate to diploma in different types of institutions. These include 7 government-owned Technical Colleges and 35 Brigades’. Accredited private training institutions also offer vocational training to widen the skill base source. This is to enable trainees from various backgrounds to access training. The Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development has the overall responsibility for planning and implementing technical and vocational education in Botswana, to meet the country’s manpower requirements.

Historically the brigades were established by communities to absorb children who would have failed to progress through secondary schools and were managed through a consultative process with Government. In 1996 the brigades were taken over by Government for improved coordination. In 2014 government approved partnerships with the private sector training institutions in the leasing and sharing brigade facilities.

Figure 2: Structure of Education

BASIC EDUCATION LABOUR MARKET

Pre-primary Education

Primary Education

Secondary Education Vocational Educ.& Training

Tertiary Education

Private Kindergartens

Public Primary schools

Community Junior Secondary Schools

Senior Secondary Schools

Brigades Public & private universities

Pre-primary classes provided by NGOs

Private English Medium Primary Schools

Private English Medium Secondary Schools

Technical Colleges

Colleges of Education

Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning

Pre-primary classes provided by community based organisations

ABET Department of Non-Formal Education

Construction Industry Trust Fund

Technical and Vocational Education Colleges

National Literacy Programme

Private VET providers

Botswana College of Agriculture

Madirelo Training and Testing Centre

Botswana Accountancy College

NGOs training providers

Institute of Health Sciences


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(Source: Government of Botswana. (2007) Education Public Expenditure Review June 2007).

The department of Out of School Education and Training (OSET) was established in 1979. It is mandated to provide education and training that is accessible to out of school learners and create opportunities for lifelong learning. The aim is to enable individuals to attain their full potential and contribute to national socio-economic and technological advancement.

Alternative pathways exist for students. Junior school leavers may select to attend vocational programmes at brigades or undertake an upgrading programme with BOCODOL in order to progress to tertiary education. Students who complete junior secondary education can progress to senior secondary school or opt for vocational or commercial programmes. Students who complete senior secondary education may be admitted to tertiary education programmes at public or private universities and colleges of higher education or obtain government scholarships to study overseas for specialised programmes.

Administration Structure

There exists a three tier administrative system as follows:

Headquarters - policy making and overall strategic coordination of the Education Sector

Regional Directorates - policy implementation and coordination of education services;

Schools and institutions - delivery of teaching and learning as well as coordination at institutional level;

At the primary education level dual responsibility is shared between MoESD and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLG&RD) as follows:

MoESD - curriculum development and delivery (teaching and learning), learner assessment, teacher education, recruitment and management;

MLG&RD - infrastructure development, learning resources and feeding programmes. At the secondary level dual responsibility is shared between MoESD and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Science and Technology (MIST) as follows:

MoESD - full accountability for Junior Secondary education infrastructure development and maintenance;

MIST - Senior Secondary schools infrastructure development and maintenance.

MoESD - curriculum development and delivery (teaching and learning), learner assessment, teacher education, recruitment and management


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CHAPTER 3: CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR 3.1 Overview of Achievements and Key Challenges This section is guided by the National Development Plan 10 and the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) of 1994. The three goals of the RNPE are (i) access and equity (ii) quality and relevance and (iii) efficiency and effectiveness of the provision of education and training.

Access and Equity

Closing the gross enrolment, completion and the gender gap particularly at the secondary and higher end of the education cycle will depend on improving educational quality, ensuring equitable resource distribution and ensuring that there are no reasons for parents in poverty to restrict their children from attending school. Overall gender trends such as the gender parity index, enrolment ratios and percentage of girls’ enrolment figures suggest that there is gender parity at the lower levels at schools but significantly widens in favour of boys as students move up the educational ladder. Strategies for securing access to early childhood education and out-of-school youth are being put in place and will need to be expanded over the coming years. At the early stages key aims include that schools promote a child-friendly environment for children and promote early childhood and pre-primary education as recognition to national building.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and Pre-Primary Education

Attendance in pre-school education has been shown to give children substantial advantages in their later education but it is acknowledged that parents and family have an important role in educating their children. The early years of learning are critical for the development of the child. Given the importance of school readiness, it is critical to target 100 per cent early childcare and pre-primary enrolment and some urgency to enhance access to pre-school education especially in the rural areas. There is a lack of access to Early Childhood Development programmes despite its importance on learner progression and pupil performance at schools as the early years prepare children for school readiness. Pre-primary education is largely provided by the private sector. The NDP 10 target for pre-primary schooling is set at 40%. Only 18.4% of children entered primary standard 1 in 2011 who had attended early childhood education at government run schools (Statistics Botswana, 2012). In contrast 48.1% of children entering standard 1 in a private school had participated in early childhood programmes in 201120. In order to increase access to Pre-Primary Education, the Ministry introduced an orientation programme for prospective Standard One pupils in 2012 and reception classes in public schools in 2013. An Orientation programme is for a period of six weeks and introduced in all public primary schools. The programme is to partly prepare children for learning, with the provision of readiness activities and also to help children settle into schools. A one-year Reception Programme has been introduced in 115 schools out of a total of 756 public schools in January 2014 and is currently

20 Statistics Brief. Statistics Botswana February 2013 & UNICEF Botswana (2013) Botswana Basic education System: Summary of data on access and quality.


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reaching more than 4,000 children21. This is a major development that will have resource implications and will require support and further development.

Primary School Education Primary school in Botswana is for a 7-year period for children aged 6 to 12 (although children up to 10 are allowed to start Primary school, especially for marginalized communities), ending with the Primary School Leaving Examination certificate (PSLE). The total number of primary schools in the country was 817 in 2013, of which 754 (92.3%) were government owned and 62 (7.7%) were privately owned.22 In 2012, the total number of Primary school students was 337, 206 (172, 347 boys, 164, 859 girls). This is an increase of 1.3 percent on enrolment between 2011 and 2012 from 332,971. (Statistics Botswana 2012 Stats Brief: Primary Education). Overall, enrolment has significantly improved that during the last five years the net enrolment rate (NER) for 6-12 year age group increased from 85.8 percent in 2009 to 93.1 percent in 2012. The NDP 10 target was to increase NER at primary level to 97% for the 6-12 years cohort by 2013. For the unofficial 7-13 year age group the NER has been reducing from 91.8 percent in 2009 to 88.6 in 2012. The GER of the age group 6-12 was 114.6 in 2003 and increased to 119.8 in 2012 The general increasing pattern of GER at age group 6-12 shows a positive response, though slow, to the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) recommendation on school entry age of 6 years at primary school. In order to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) the number of under age and over-age pupils need to decline to free places for pupils in the official primary school age group.23The latest figure for Gender Parity Index (GPI) is slightly in favour of boys for the 6-12 years at 0.98 (140,815 females and 143,227 males in 2012). There is a small margin between male and female enrolments, 48.0 percent male pupils were enrolled compared to 45.9 percent females in government owned school and there has been a general increase in female enrolment since 2009 growing at a faster rate than boys’ enrolment.

Junior and Senior Secondary The current secondary school register shows that there has been an increase of 2.5 percent on the number of secondary schools, from 276 in 2008 to 283 in 2012. Out of the 283 schools, Government schools constituted 84.0 percent of all secondary schools in the country. Secondary school enrolment has increased by 0.4 percent over three years from 171,986 in 2009 to 172,669 in 2012 with female enrolment at 51.7 percent and 48.3 percent for males. Government schools enrolled 92.3 percent of all students. The latest figure for Gender Parity Index (GPI) is in favour of females for the total secondary population in government schools at 1.06 (82,126 females and 77,242 males in 2012). Secondary school enrolment has increased by 0.4 percent over the last

21MOESD/Department of Basic Education (2013), Guidelines for Standard One Orientation Programme in Primary Schools Gaborone: MOESD. 22MoESD (2014) Ministerial Briefing Report (HE) February 2014. Gaborone: Botswana Government 23Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is the proportion of the official school going aged pupils enrolled in primary school against the total number of official school going age children. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is the proportion of total pupils enrolled in primary against the total number of official school going age children. Gender Parity Index (GPI) is the ratio of female to male values of a given indicator. It measures progress towards gender parity in education participation and or learning opportunities available for women in relation to those available to men.


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three years and there has been a general increase in female enrolment since 2009 growing at a faster rate than boys’ enrolment.

The majority of students are aged 14-18 and the GER and NER for students aged 14 - 18 continued to be higher than that for the theoretical age for secondary school aged 13-17 (Form 1 to Form 5). The GER for age group 14-18 years increased from 83.7 percent in 2009 to 84.1 percent in 2012. The trend has been a general increase over 10 years (77.3 percent in 2002). The NER for students aged 13 - 17 years has dropped slightly over the last years with 65.6 percent in 2008 and 64.2 in 2012. A small number of secondary school students reach Form 1 before they turn 12 years, the age at which they are still expected to be at primary school, suggesting that some students either start school before the official age of 6 or are accelerated through the different grades. On the other hand, some students who are aged above 19 years, the age at which they are expected to have completed their secondary education, were reportedly still at secondary school.24

Technical Vocational Education and Training The Ministry has reported that enrolment in Technical Vocational Education and Training sub-sector has increased from 6,096 in 2009, to 9,262 in 2013 and to 10,622 in 2014 a current utilization rate of 61 percent. The aim is to improve the utilization rate to 70 percent by the end of 2014-2015 financial year, whilst the NDP 10 target is 80%. There are forty-five public institutions providing technical and vocational education and training. Eight (8) Technical colleges and Thirty-seven (37) brigade centres, offering certificate up to diploma level qualifications. This translates to 61% utilization of facilities. Currently TVET institutions, (colleges and brigades) though not fully utilised, are not able to accommodate learners with special needs. Four institutions have however been ear marked special education “schools.” There is no indication of a robust and deliberate plan to recruit the disabled, the disadvantaged and other vulnerable groups into TVET. To overcome these shortcomings, most of the existing facilities will need to be upgraded to accommodate the learners with special education needs. Furthermore there will be need to change policies to create “school of skills” with special dispensation for admission; to develop unique programmes and to adopt delivery methods to suit people with special needs.

Pathways from secondary to TVET also need to be developed. There is a situation of school leavers who are “in the streets” while technical institutions are underutilized. A seamless progression of learners from secondary school to TVET will be established through the NQF. The progression will be supported by effective career guidance and assessment system.

Tertiary Education The Tertiary Education sub-sector has been growing (in structure, size, and shape, type of institutions, programme diversity and quality) since the coming into being of the Tertiary Education Council (TEC) in 1999. The growth of private colleges and universities in particular has been phenomenal: they constituted 38.5% of all Tertiary Education institutions that were registered as of August 2013. The remaining 61.5% were public institutions. The number of degree-awarding public institutions has grown from one to five, which constitutes 12.8% of all

24 Statistics Botswana (2013): Secondary Education Statistics Brief 2012. Gaborone: Statistics Botswana.


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TEC-registered and accredited Tertiary Education institutions in the country. The 2013/14 intake shows that 34.9% students are absorbed in private tertiary institutions while 57.5% of those are in public institutions. Equally, there has been an increase in student enrolment across the sector - a change of 57.1% in student enrolment. During 2011/12 academic year there were 46,614 students enrolled compared to 20,011 during the 2003/04 academic year. The rapid change is attributable to the University of Botswana’s (UB) rapid increase in enrolment, the rise of private colleges & universities, and the Institute for Development Management (IDM)’s shift from offering short courses to long term pre-service programmes at both certificate and diploma levels. The establishment of Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) with a projected optimum enrolment of 6,000 students in both undergraduate and graduate will further enable opportunities for students to study Science and Technology. Access though is still a challenge in Botswana’s Tertiary Education sub-sector. In comparative terms, the overall participation rate, though it has been rising steadily over the past five years, is still lower than comparable countries of Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa who are above and between 18% (SA) and 25% (Mauritius) while Botswana is at 16.4% for the age group 18 -24 years. The policy issue here is that more effort should be made to improve access to degree and graduate studies where the participation rate is very low and jeopardizing any chance for improvement in the country’s research and innovation capacity. Low graduation rates which average 30% in comparison to increasing levels of enrolments and costs of tertiary education are a major concern. No performance indicators have been developed on equity. The definition of who the disadvantaged groups are also needs to be spelt out in the form of policy. Access for minority groups, such as those in remote areas, those with disability and associated challenges, deserve particular attention/focus by the sub-sector. Women’s participation in the Sciences is very low and in need of immediate attention.

Access for Students with Special Needs The Ministry of Education and Skills Development through RNPE (1994) is committed to providing inclusive education and providing special education for those in need. This is important in attaining an inclusive education system. The government’s move towards introducing child friendly approaches will enhance inclusion. There are 35 government Special Education Units, 11 NGOs providing Special Education and 1 private centre. These centres serve 1,183 children.25 There were 32 hostels attached to Primary schools with a total population of 1,981 learners (1,119 boys, 862 girls) reported in 2013 (MoESD). The department of TVET has an equal opportunities policy that reserves a 15% quota for admission of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The number with education special needs increased from 12 places in 2012 to 64 places in 2014. To ensure implementation of RNPE (1994) recommendations on special education, the Government continues to build special education units in existing schools, support the NGOs that provide special education, integrate and mainstream children with special education needs and disability into the mainstream. Furthermore, schools are built such that they are user and learning friendly to learners with special needs and disability.

25 Statistics Botswana (2013), Statistics Brief 2012, Gaborone: Statistics Botswana


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Although Government is committed to increase access to children with special education needs to the education system, schools with special education units are few. This reflects limited resources to meet special education learners’ needs. Currently there is one Government Junior Secondary School (JSS) and one Senior Secondary School (SSS) with visual impairment special education unit, two JSS and one SSS with hearing impairment special education unit.

Quality and Relevance

In Botswana, the main challenge facing the education sector is to improve the quality of education at all levels. This is evidenced by falling performance in national examinations and also in international assessments that periodically are set and emerging evidence from studies.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is managed through implementation of the 2001-ECCE policy, which is under-going review to address issues of standards, health and safety, teaching and learning among other themes. The MoESD is responsible for curriculum development and monitoring of its delivery to schools; teacher training and policy development; while the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is responsible for supplying infrastructure (building, furniture, food and teaching and learning materials) and for implementing operational set standards including Health and Safety requirements through ECCE policy. The quality of care and education in early childhood education is constrained by the low number of qualified teachers. In terms of early childhood care and development, there continues to be a shortage of trained pre-school teachers. Strategies for securing access to out-of-reach children and out-of-school youth are being explored in accordance with the principles of inclusion.

Primary Education Primary education is divided into Lower Primary (Standards 1 to 4) and Upper Primary (Standards 5 to 7). There is a national assessment developed by Botswana Examination Council (or BEC) for all students completing Standard 4.26 Another national assessment is done at the end of standard 7, the PSLE, the results of which are published nationally. Educational quality in core primary subjects, such as, English, Mathematics, Science and Agriculture has been falling, and significant disparities in learner performance persist. UNESCO’s review of Botswana’s Basic Education system (2013) notes “the results show that students comparatively perform below par compared to international students of the same age group.”27 They also perform below the international benchmarks. Botswana participated in the PIRLS 2011 test on reading literacy and only 10 percent reached high levels and 56 percent of pupils failed to reach the low benchmark and ranked 46 out of 49 participating countries beating only Oman and Morocco.28

Secondary Education

The government is committed to providing secondary education to prepare students for a

26 Note that this assessment is taken and marked locally with no national results. 27 UNESCO (2013) General Education System Quality Assessment: Country Report Botswana, Gaborone: UNESCO (p23). 28 PIRLS 2011 Learners’ Achievement (8 July 2014). Note: PIRLS 2011, reading literacy was defined as the ability to understand and use written language forms.


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knowledge society. Secondary school ownership in Botswana is mainly in three forms; government, government aided and privately owned schools. Government secondary schools are solely managed by Ministry of Education and Skills Development, while the private schools are entities owned by individuals or companies and government aided schools are mission schools run by religious institutions (Roman Catholic Church and UCCSA) in partnership with Ministry of Education and Skills Development. However, although accessible there is a concern about overcrowding, the quality and relevance of the education services provided. Standards continue to decline in terms of examination results and in the quality of teaching, learning and resources. In particular, the quality of Secondary Education has remained considerably below that of the high and middle-income countries with whom Botswana must compete, especially in the subject areas of Science and Mathematics that will be the basis for the ‘selling of marketable skills’ in the coming decades. For example, TIMSS (who test grade 8 (Form II) students’ performance in mathematics and science) on average scale scores for Grade 8 (Form II) students for 2003, 2007 and 2011 put Botswana well below the international average. The TIMSS mathematics benchmark for 2011 was that students ‘some knowledge of whole numbers and decimals, operations and basic graphs’ whilst in science students would be able to ‘recognise some basic facts from life and physical science’. Only 25% of the Form II students who sat the 2011 test were able to reach the set benchmark in mathematics. Students performed better in science where 66% were able to reach the set benchmark.29 These figures are considerable lower than the TIMSS comparable figures in 2007 and 2003. The following paragraphs summarise a recent study on declining standards at senior secondary schools commissioned by MoESD.30 The study found that in the sampled schools the BGCSE curriculum is overloaded and the content of the various syllabi leaves very little room for the development of quality learning. Pedagogy used by teachers is severely outdated. There was a heavy focus on examinations, to the almost total exclusion of ‘learning for life’ and skills development. In addition, school-based assessment is not well developed. At present, schools merely provide tests that mimic the examinations; they do not provide additional types of assessment focusing on measuring the development of skills. The requirement that all students do science at the secondary level in some form or other is unrealistic. The sciences learning area needs a fundamental re-think. Currently, most students register for the Science Double Award and more than 90% of those registering for this subject in Form 4 fail the subject. Those that pass are the ones that drop to Double Award from having originally registered for Triple Science. Streaming students according to JCE results into different science groupings is detrimental to students’ self-confidence and results in a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure for the large majority of students. Students are often categorized by the science stream/subject they do. Most of those in Double Award fail. This results in students having a low level of confidence in their studying in general. Actual BGCSE overall results show a steady decrease over the last years. Over the total period 2009-2013 the expectation was to have the BGCSE results showing an increase of 4%, whereas the results decreased by just about 7%. In 2009, the gap between the Target (51%) and the Actual Results (34.8%) was 16.2%. By 2013 this gap had widened to a dramatic 27.1%, not quite double that of 2009 but it appears to be heading there within the next year or two.

There has been a steady decline in results of the BGCSE subject English, which however was

29 TIMSS Learners’ Achievement 2011. (8 July 2014). 30 MoESD (2014): Study on Declining Results – Investigating Senior Secondary Education.


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largely remedied in the results for 2013. Further, the BGCSE Mathematics, the percentage of students with a grade at ‘C’ or better declined from 28.9% to 25.4%. The most dramatic decline is seen in the results for BGCSE Science (Double Award); these declined from 26% to 14%. The results at BGCSE Science (Double Award) indicate that it is becoming more and more likely that the large majority of students fail this subject, and thus not be able to enter any further study with a science-related interest.

Teacher Education and Professional Development Nearly all teachers in Botswana public schools are qualified yet the country has been unable to maintain acceptable levels of quality education. At the primary level about 98% of teachers in have the Diploma in Primary Education (DPE) in 2012. Most Senior Secondary School teachers are qualified for the subject they teach to BA/ BSc levels and also have the teaching certificate, the PGDE. Some Senior Secondary Teachers still have only the content qualification and not the teacher qualification but this is being remedied presently. About 75% of Junior Secondary School teachers have the PGDE and others are upgrading their qualifications. Completion, graduation and pass rates are high across all the Colleges of Education where an average of 90% of the teacher trainees obtain a merit and credit. However caveats must be made here as the PRESET assessment system is in need of review. Botswana has shown significant achievement towards localization of teaching positions over the years. Secondary school teachers in Botswana are mainly citizens; accounting for 96.0 percent of the total teachers. The percentage of non-citizen teachers has been declining over the years. The decline over ten years is from 19.1 percent in 2002 to 4 percent in 2012. In addition to teachers advancing their qualifications, some lecturers at Colleges of Education are receiving training to undertake PhDs at local universities supported by the MoESD through the Training and Development Department (TDD). Some College of Education and TVET principals have received capacity building in management and leadership through programmes run by Stellenbosch University and organised by the TDD of the MoESD. New programmes are being implemented for pre-service training (PRESET). Essential new PRESET programmes have been developed and are being run by some PRESET providers, for example, the Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and part of this content is also linked to the Diploma in Primary Education and the provision of preparatory courses in ECCE for Pre-School teachers. Additionally school heads at Primary Schools and some Junior Secondary head

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REPUBLIC OF BOTSWANA Final...TDD Technical Advisory / Technical Assistance Training and development Department TEC TEPD Tertiary Education Council Teacher Education & professional